Pirhana-class
The Piranha-class Attack Submarine is ZAFT's premier attack submarine and is built to support the larger Vosgulov-class Submarine Carriers in the ZAFT Marine Forces. Technology & Combat Characteristics When ZAFT started to build up its military in preparation for the war ahead, one part of this build up was a terrestrial Navy that could take the fight to the Alliance. However ZAFT couldn't stand up to the Alliance Navy in numbers alone, therefore ZAFT made the decision to build a submarine fleet to counter the larger Alliance Navy. One part of this new submarine fleet would be the new Pirhana-class Attack Submarine produced like all of ZAFT submarines by Walker Submarine Company in the PLANT allied Oceania Union. Since their introduction in late CE68 Walker would produce over three hundred of these small and reliable submarines in seven different variants. A few variants would be dedicated long-range patrol submarines; others would be dedicated reconnaissance submarine; and others would be light submarine carriers. All of these variants like the main class would mainly crewed by Natural-Born volunteers from the Oceania Union to allow ZAFT to focus its Coordinator manpower on its space fleet and mobile suit forces. This is a major annoyance to the Radical Faction of both the PLANTs and inside ZAFT, though it does makes things easier. The Pirhana-class is a lightweight combat submarine that is built to be cheap, reliable and easy to produce. Compared to the larger Vosgulov-class Carrier Submarines, ZAFT and Walker could build six Pirhana-class submarines to one Vosgulov. Often these small submarines would be found escorting their larger brethren in the ZAFT Marine Forces; though like their space-bound counterparts the Luna-class Escort Corvettes a Pirhana or two could be found escorting the almost defenseless Kolumbo-class Supply Submarines during their missions as well. Walker Submarine Company would spare no expense for this new submarine, and Walker’s CEO would be heard mentioning that the Pirhana would be one of the most superior Attack Submarine ever produced a few times to officials from the PLANTs. The Pirhana would also be one of the fastest and nimble submarines thanks to the revolutionary Caterpillar Drive System, a new look on the magnetohydrodynamic drive, which allows the small submarine to nimbly flit around the waters of Earth’s oceans. However the submarine would also be equipped with a single screw-propeller for long distance travel or failure of the Caterpillar Drive. To attack its targets the Pirhana-class is equipped with a pair of two modular weapon bays, which allows the submarine to be equipped with many different types of underwater weaponry from your average torpedo tubes, to the exotic and advanced Phonon Maser Cannons. All of this would truly make the Pirhana ''one of the most superior submarines in the world at the time of its introduction. When the Bloody Valentine War started the new ''Pirhana-class would take the Alliance Navy by surprise easily outmatching the Alliance’s aging Submarine Fleet of Barracuda-class Fleet Submarines, and smaller Tigershark-class Attack Submarines. The smaller Pirhana repeatedly outfought the larger Tigershark-class and easily managed to go up against the even larger Barracuda-class. However like the rest of the Combined Alliance Force the Submarine Fleet would try to find a way to overcome the superior technology of ZAFT. First the Submarine Fleet would introduce the small SMF-02A Dolphin Submarine Fighter to counter both the nimble Pirhana and the increasing amounts of ZAFT Marine Mobile Suits. This would only be a weak stop-gap for the Submarine Fleet and thankfully by the time of second year of the war they would introduce the small Aegir-class Fast Attack Submarines to counter the Pirhana. These new Alliance submarines and their large amount of torpedo tubes were a worthy opponent to the ZAFT Attack Sub. Following the success of the Aegir would be the larger Poseidon-class Fleet Submarine which used the idea of modular bays from the Pirhana, though the larger Fleet Submarine wouldn’t use this for weapons instead it would be have a large bay on its dorsal surface which could be equipped with several different modules. As the war continued on the large Submarine Fleet of ZAFT would slowly push back to their bases as the Alliance continued to close the technology gap of the two factions. Even then the Pirhana would show itself to be a fierce opponent and would fight tooth and nail the entire way. All in all the small Pirhana would be one of the most respected and superior attack submarines of the war. Armaments The Pirhana-class is built a new idea of modular weapons and can change its main weapon loadout with a few hours in dry-dock. These new Walker MT-12 Modular Weapon pods can be equipped with the following different armaments: ;*M-Tech Mark XIII 180mm Phonon Maser Cannons :These newly created weapons are developed for the purpose of giving underwater combat units the ability to sport a heavy weapon. This includes the ZAFT Underwater Mobile Suits, and now the ZAFT Marine Forces Submarines as their main anti-ship weapon. These are usually equipped for anti-submarine combat for use against enemy submarines. ;*Type IX 16-Inch Torpedo Tubes :These tried and proven Torpedo Tubes sport a small magazine of four torpedos each and are mainly used by a Pirhana-class to fight enemy combat watercraft like enemy destroyers or cruisers. Sometimes used for anti-submarine missions when the more powerful Phonon Maser Cannons are not available. ;*Type VII 8-Inch Miro-Torpedo Tubes :A newly developed weapon for use against the newly introduced Submarine Fighters and other underwater combat craft. These small torpedos are able to easily go after the speedy Submarine Fighters. Usaully equipped for escort missions and general combat missions. A few Pirhana-class submarines along a ZAFT Marine Wolkpack or Team would be equipped with these weapons as anti-fighter units. ;*Type 12-S Underwater Railcannons :Another newly developed weapon, just introduced a few weeks after the start of the new East Asian Front, and are introduced to replace the exotic Phonon Maser Cannons for use against enemy submarines as well as enemy watercraft. Notable Submarines and Crew ;*ZAFT Submarine P-7 (Captain Edgar “Radar” Steele) :One of the more notable submarines of the class is the P-7 (or as known to her crew as Faithful) and was commanded by veteran submarine skipper Captain Edgar “Radar” Steele, a fourth generation Submariner. Unlike many officers and crewmembers in the ZAFT Marine Force Captain Steele is a Coordinator, and often offered a space command or even the command of a Vosgulov-class Submarine Carrier but the young commander constantly refuses these offers prefer staying with his faithful submarine. :The P-7 and crew are quite famous on both sides thanks to its actions during the Battle of Casablanca when it would destroy seven enemy Tigershark-class submarines and later would split from the main ZAFT Marine Fleet when it received a distress call from a damaged civilian ship. This ship the HS Matriarch, an Orb registered civilian hospital ship that was assisting the Global Red Cross in taking on the survivors of the battle. However the Matriarch ''was hit by a loose torpedo when it was moving in to save survivors from a sinking Alliance Ship. The P-7 would come along side the larger ship and would assist in the repairs of the ship and helped the crew of the ship to continue saving struggling survivors even though many of them survivors where once enemies. :This event would become a major moral victory for ZAFT, especially after it was found that the torpedo that struck the ''Matriarch ''was an Alliance Torpedo. Since this battle the P-7 would be assigned as the command ship for the newly created Steele Team whose mission would be patrolling the waters around the new Gibraltar Base. Later during the last months of the war Captain Steele and his crew would finally be transferred to Space to crew the brand new ''Luna-class Escort Corvette Achilles leaving their faithful P-7 behind tied up to the dry dock of Carpentaria Base where it would surrendered alongside the rest of the ZAFT Marine Fleet by Marshall Lucas Revil after the Ayers Rock Landing Operation. Variants ;*E Variant :A variant for long-range patrols and is equipped accordingly, fifty produced ;*R Variant :The dedicated reconnaissance variant of the class and is equipped with various sensors, sonar and such. Also its hull is coated in an anti-sonar coating that allows it to easily scout out Alliance waters without being dedicated. Only twelve ever produced. ;*L Variant :One of the variant’s that is a light mobile suit carrier able to carry two marine mobile suits in its single hanger-bay which replaces its two modular weapon bays. Sports two light Phonon Maser Guns underneath its sail and a single torpedo launcher in its ventral equipment pod, twenty produced. ;*C Variant :Another of the dedicated carrier variants and unlike the L Variant focuses on carrying non-Marine Mobile Suits like DINNs and GINNs. To do this it has its Caterpillar System replaced by two launch tubes on the aft dorsal section of the submarine. Twenty produced. ;*W Variant :A variant introduced entirely by Walker for the civilian market. It is a favorite of the planet-bound Junk Guild teams thanks to the large cargo pod that replaces the ventral equipment bay of the submarine. Fifty Produced. ;*N Variant :Another variant entirely produced by Walker, though for the use of the Oceania Union Navy instead of the ZAFT Marine Forces. Instead of the modular weapon bays it sports fixed torpedo tubes, and is used by the Union Navy to patrol the coastal waters of the Oceania Union for Alliance Submarines allowing ZAFT to dedicate their resources to fighting the Alliance. Fifty produced by Walker. ;*S Variant :A modified Variant that replaces its Caterpillar Drive with a Underwater Scale System allowing it to be slightly faster and nimble then the normal Pirhana-class and is only really used to defend harbors controlled by ZAFT. Notes *Unlike the larger Vosgulov and Kolumbo-class Submarines the Pirhana-class Submarines are not named instead like many other Submarines before them they are numbered, though their crews often give their subs nicknames that they use. *The Pirhana-class is heavily based on some concept art for the Pirate Submarine in the Premier Episode of SeaQuest DSV. Category:Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Angelic Saga Category:Submarine